IMPORTANT NOTE: This story was published before CHMA received a new, corrected statement from the New Brunswick Department of Justice and Public Safety on Monday May 3, which reads:
Under the Mandatory Order, a person under modified self-isolation may not leave their place of residence to go vote inside at a voting station. But alternative methods exist to ensure persons under self-isolation or modified self-isolation can participate in the voting process. People should contact their local returning office and/or Elections NB to find out what those options are.
Please see this more recent story on the subject:
Advanced polls for the New Brunswick municipal, district education and health authority elections will be held on Saturday and Monday. The Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre will be open both days from 10am to 8pm. Voters need to wear masks, and are encouraged to bring their voter information cards to speed up the voting process, and their identification if they are not already on the voters list.
Though some contradictory information has been shared online, the hundreds of cross-border commuters who are currently under modified self-isolation are allowed to vote in person if they choose, according to the provincial department of public safety. Communications officer Coreen Enos says via email that, “voting, whether federally, provincially or municipally is considered essential and permitted under modified self-isolation.”
Enos suggested voters reach out to Elections New Brunswick for more information on public health measures protocols.
Paul Harpelle, spokesperson for Elections NB, says that anyone who is under the new isolation rules may also “request a mail in ballot from the local returning office, or make arrangements to have a family member or friend pick up a mail in ballot for them and drop it off.” The instructions for voting by mail are on the Elections NB website.
As a last resort, Harpelle says the person could call their local returning office to make an appointment to vote by telephone.
Memramcook Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton says she has been trying to get an answer to the question of whether or not people in modified self-isolation could vote since the new restrictions were announced April 23. Mitton has posted a long list of frequently asked questions and answers on her Facebook page.
“What I’m really worried about is that this has not been publicly communicated in a clear way,” says Mitton. “And so there may be people who don’t go vote because they’re worried about getting fined.”
